Rotary gas-motor.



No. 729,069. PATBNTED MAY 26, 1903. G. 110111".

ROTARY GAS MOTOR. APPLIQATIoir :FILED 111111.29, 1901.

l0 MODEL.

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UNTTE STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE CHARLES HOFF, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOI-IN LEVIS ROIWIBACH AND THEODORE GROENE, `OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ROTARY GAS-MOTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,069, dated May 26, 1903. i

Application tiled April 29, 1901. Serial No. 57,909. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES HOFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have inventedacertain new and useful Rotary Gas- Motor; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description thereof, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which itappertains to make and use the same, attento tion being called to the accompanying drawings, with the referencenumerals marked thereon, which form also a part of this speciicatiom This invention relates to certain improvex5 ments in details of construction relating to such motors which comprise a rotary engine, a vapor and gas compressor, and intermediate means and parts, one of which latter consists of igniting mechanism, the whole operating zo and interacting in a manner to impart motion to the rotary engine by the agency of successive explosions of the vapor, which is ignited after previous compression.

In thefollowing specification and particularly pointed out in the claims following is found a full description of the invention, to-- gether with its operation, parts, and construction, Which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 3o Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View of the combined mechanical structure. Fig. 2' is an upright elevation viewed at right angles to the preceding figure. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lower part of the device viewed from the opposite'side of Fig. 1 and at'right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross` section on line et 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a similar section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

9 is the main or driving shaft of the engine,

4o passing centrally through a cylinder 10, inA the ends 11 of which it is supported, resting in bearings 12 thereat. Within the cylinder the diameter of this shaft is enlarged either integrally or by means of a hub 13, attached to it by a key 14 or otherwise. The diameter of this enlargement or hub is less than the inside diameter of cylinder 10, thus producing a space 15, which is occupied by the pressure medium acting against the sliding pis- 5o ton 16 while the same passes around through this space. This piston occupies a socket 17 in the face of hub 13, and by -means of springs 1S behind it it is normally held outwardly against the inner side of cylinder 10. It may also be moved by'an interior cam-groove oc- 55 cu pied by lateral projections on it. In width it is coextensive with the width of the face of hub 13, both extending and filling out the space between heads l1, so as to entirely prevent communication between the parts of 6o space 15, separated by said piston. The propelling agent is vapor in state of expansion, the latter being due to explosion, both taking place at the moment piston 16 passes and has cleared port 19. This vapor while so in expansion is entirely confined within a fixed inclosure, the only yielding surface being piston 16, which in consequence is driven around through space 15, thereby imparting a rotary motion to main shaft 9. The burned gases 7o and spent vapor escape through an exhaustport 21. Communication between these two ports is prevented by means of an enlargement in thickness at 22 of the wall of cylinder 10, which at that point fills out space 15 75 close up to hub 13. The vapor or, strictly speaking, the mixture of vapor and air (which is intended to,be used) is compressed immediately before itsignition and subsequent explosion, occupying at that time a chamber 23, 8o into which it is forced by the upward stroke of piston 24 of a suction or compression pump,

of which 25 is the cylinder. At that time a .valve 26 yields upwardly to admit the vapor, seating itself immediately on the beginning of the return stroke of piston 24, so as to hold Vthe vapor at the density to which it has been compressed. At that moment and with rotary piston 1G and the other parts in about a position as shown in Fig. 1 the compressed 9o mixture is now exploded by means of the igniting mechanism acting at that time and which mechanism consists substantially of two members 27 and 28, held in separable contact with each other and occupying a space which constitutes igniting-chamber 29, communicating with and forming a part of chamber 23. These pieces are also in electrical Contact with each other, forming parts of the conductors of a closed circuit, with current Ico furnished from any available source. They are contained in a plug 30, which also closes chamber 29. At the moment when the explosion is desired these pieces are separated, the ignition being effected by the electrical spark which is generated at that time. For the purpose of such separation piece 28 is supported in plug 30 in a manner to be capable of a sliding movement, and for such purpose it is connected to a rocker-arm 3l, projecting from one end of a rock-shaft 32, supported in a bearing 33. This latter is a lateral extension of one of the iianges which hold plug 30 in position. yAt the other end of rock- -shaft 32 there is another rocker-arm 34, the

end of which reaches closely to the rim of iiywhcel 35, so as to be capablel of being struck at the proper time by a'projection 36 on this latter, whereby the igniting mechanism is actuated at the proper time. A spring 37 returns these movable parts again to their normal positions. One of the contact-pieces, preferably member 27,' is insulated, while either one-in this case member '2S-is adjustably connected to the mechanism actuating it, thereby permitting a proper regulation and adjustment of the electrical contact.

The aforedescribed compression-stroke of piston 24, which forces the vapor into chaillber 23, forms also the suction-stroke filling cylinder 25, the vapor from a suitable generator being drawn in through a port 38, supplied from a pipe 39, while air enters through a port 4l, communicating with an open pipe 42. It will be observed that the air-inlet is considerably larger than the vapor-inlet, whereby a mixture of air and vapor in proper proportion is obtained. On the downward move of the piston a valve 43, seated in piston 24, lifts, permitting the mixture so drawn in to pass above the piston to be in position for compression on the upstroke. At this time-that is, on the downstroke-the mixture drawn into cylinder 25 is prevented from backing out by check-valves 44 and 45. The movements of valve 43 are altogether due to the resistance of the mixture moved, and during such movements it is guided by a stem 46, itted into a socket in piston-rod 47. This reciprocating motion of the pumppiston is obtained from the fly-wheel by suitable operative connection, which consists of a cam-groove 48 in the former, occupied by a roller 49, mounted on one end of a sliding rod 51, the other end of which rod has a forkshaped projection 52, which engages the lower end of piston-rod 47. This rod is held in proper position during its movement in a guideway formed by guides 53, projecting from the frame, which forms base 54 of the motor. This base is hollow and occu pied by cylinder 25, which depends from the under Side of the top 55 of this base. The forkshaped end 52 of rod 5l projects into this hollow base. For bridging the space between the walll of this latter and the wall of cylinder 25 hollow ducts are provided to contain and accommodate ports 38 and 41.

Cylinder 10 is preferably surrounded by a water-jacket 56, through which Water is kept circulating by means of pipes 57 58.

Having described my invention, I claim as newl. In a rotary gas-engine, the combination with the motor-housing and hollow base containing the compressor-cylinder which depends from the under side of the top of said base, of an intermediate neck forming a com` pression-chamber and whereby the aforementioned parts are connected and communicate with each other, a lateral enlargement in said neck constituting an igniting-chamber 29, a removable plug 30 to close this igniting-chamber and electrical contact-pieces carried in said plug.

2. In a rotary gas-engine, the combination with the motor-housing and hollow base containing the compressor-cylinder which depends from the under side of the top of said base, of an intermediate neck forming a compression-chamber and whereby the aforementioned parts are connected and communicate with each other, a lateral enlargement in said neck constituting an igniting-chamber 29, a

vremovable plug 30 to close this igniting-chamber, a iiange at its outer end whereby this plug is secured inr position, a bearing 33 forming a lateral enlargement of this ange, a rock-shaft supported in this bearing, rockerarms projecting from each end of this rockshaft and an electrical contact-piece mounted with a sliding fit in plug 30 and connected for operation to one of the rocker-arms mentioned, the other rocker-arm being adapted to be acted upon by engine-actuated parts for operating the rock-shaft.

3. In a rotary gas-engine, the combination of a motor-housing, a hollow base containing the compressor-cylinder which depends from the under side of the top thereof, an interme-` diate neck which contains the compressionchamber connecting the motor-housing and base and whereby the two communicate with each other, inlet-ports 38 and 41 for the compressor-cylinder consisting of inclosed ducts which bridge the space between this cylinder and the hollow base surrounding it, a piston and piston-rod for the cylinder-,thelowerend of the rod projecting into the hollow base, guides 53 formed on the outside of this latter, a sliding rod 5l fitted between them, an opening in the base through which the lower end of this rod 51 projects, a fork-shaped extension on this lower end projecting into the base and engaging the lowei end of the piston-rod therein and a roller 49 on the upper end of sliding rod 5l adapted to be engaged by motor-actuated parts. r

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES HOFF. Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, THEoDoRE GROENE.

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